US 4,738,235 A · Rotary engine having controller and transfer gears

Abstract

A rotary engine has a first ring-shaped floor portion connected to an inner shaft for rotation therewith and a second ring-shaped floor portion connected to an outer shaft for rotation therewith. The annular floor portions cooperate with an engine casing to define an annular chamber. A first pair of diametrically aligned pistons are positioned within the annular chamber and are connected to the first ring-shaped floor portion while a second pair of diametrically aligned pistons are positioned within the angular chamber and connected to the second ring-shaped floor portion. The pistons cooperate to define a plurality of combustion chambers. Means are provided for causing combustion in the combustion chambers for imparting rotary motion to the inner and outer shafts. A first power transfer gear connected to the inner shaft transfers power to a drive shaft when the inner shaft is driven and a second power transfer gear connected to the outer shaft transfers power to the drive shaft when the outer shaft is driven. Unique piston seals, a controller for regulating the position of the pistons, and a novel lubrication system are also disclosed.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A power transfer mechanism for a rotary engine having first means carrying a first pair of diametrically aligned pistons, second means carrying a second pair of diametrically aligned pistons, said first and second pairs of pistons cooperating to define a plurality of combustion chambers, means for causing combustion in said combustion chambers such that said first and second means are alternately driven, and a drive shaft;

said power transfer mechanism comprising:
first power transfer gear means connected to said first means for transferring power to said drive shaft when said first means is driven;
second power transfer gear means connected to said second means for transferring power to said driven shaft when said second means is driven;
and
controller means connected to said first and second means for regulating the positions of said pairs of pistons, said controller means including a cam surface and a cam follower, said cam follower including first, second, third and fourth rollers interconnected by first, second, third, and fourth members to form a four-sided cam follower with one of said rollers at each of the concerns thereof, said first and third members being connected to said first means and said second and fourth members being connected to said second means.

2 more elements

A rotary engine comprising:

an engine casing defining a cylindrical chamber and having a plurality of openings;
inner and outer concentric shafts positioned within said cylindrical chamber;
a first ring-shaped floor portion connected to said inner shaft for rotation therewith and a second ring-shaped floor portion connected to said outer shft for rotation therewith, said first and second floor portios cooperating with said casing to define an annular chamber;
a first pair of diametrically aligned pistons positioned within said annular chamber and connected to said first floor portion;
a second pair of diametrically aligned pistons positioned within said annular chamber and connected to said second floor portion, one piston of said first pair of pistons and one piston of said second pair of pistons cooperating to define a combustion chamber;
means for supplying air and fuel to said combustion chambers;
means for supplying a spark to said combustion chambers for causing combustion such that said inner and outer shafts are alternately driven;
controller means connected to said inner and outer shafts for regulating the positions of said first and second pairs of pistons;
a drive shaft;
and
a first power transfer gear connected to said inner shaft for transferring power to said driven shaft when said inner shaft is driven, and a second power transfer gear connected to said outer shaft for transferring power to said driven shaft when said outer shaft is driven.

8 more elements

A power transfer mechanism for a rotary engine having an annular cylinder, first carrying means rotatable about an axis of rotation for carrying a first pair of diametrically opposed pistons such that said pistons of said first pair of pistons travel in a circular path within said cylinder, second carrying means rotatable about said axis of rotation for carrying a second pair of diametrically opposed pistons such that said pistons of said second pair of pistons travel in a circular path within said cylinder and such that said second pair of pistons cooperates with said first pair of pistons to define a plurality of combustion chambers within said cylinder, combustion causing means for causing combustion within said combustion chambers such that said first and second carrying means are alternately driven, said power transfer mechanism comprising a drive shaft having at least one gear;

first transferring means connected to said first carrying means for transferring power to said drive shaft when said first carrying means is driven, said first transferring means including a first partial gear arranged coaxially with respect to said axis of rotation and having at least one toothed portion and at least one non-toothed portion;
and second transferring means connected to said second carrying means for transferring power to said drive shaft when said second carrying means is driven, said second transferring means including a second partial gear arranged coaxially with respect to said axis of rotation and having at least one toothed portion and at least one non-toothed portion, said first and second partial gears being arranged relative to each other such that when said first carrying means is driven said at least one toothed portion of said first partial gear is in meshing engagement with said at least one gear of said drive shaft and said at least one toothed portion of said second partial gear is out of meshing engagement with said at least one gear of said drive shaft, whereby power is transferred from said first carrying means to said driven shaft through said first partial gear only, and such that when said second carrying means is driven said at least one toothed portion of said second partial gear is in meshing engagement with said at least one gear of said drive shaft and said at least one toothed portion of said first partial gear is out of meshing engagement with said at least one gear of said drive shaft, whereby power is trnasferred from said second carrying means to said drive shaft through said second partial gear only.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotary engine having controller and transfer gears

Life of this patent

Rotary engine having controller and transfer gears

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26